Treacy, Seán

Wednesday, 15 December 1976

I am sorry to interrupt the Deputy but I am sure he will agree that social and economic policy was discussed here recently and it would not be in order to reopen such a debate.

I am afraid Standing Orders would preclude us from repetition in respect of some recent debates we have had.

In respect of widening the debate to the area of social and economic policy.

I am ruling out repetition of recent debates and I am sure the Deputy will appreciate the need for that.

I have given the Deputy a good deal of latitude but I am bound to say again that in my opinion this motion does not encompass a discussion on Government policy and that in any case we had a debate on ...

I am motivated by the Standing Orders of the House.

I have given the Deputy a good deal of latitude but the motion before us today deals with whether a certain Member should be appointed to the Government.

It may well be that the Taoiseach on that occasion referred to the circumstances surrounding the termination of the appointments of certain Members of the Government and so widened the scope of the de...

The Chair will afford the Deputy every latitude but wants to dissuade the House as a whole from debating on this occasion the Government social and economic policy.

I am sorry to interrupt the Deputy but he will appreciate that it would not be in order to go into detail in respect of matters appertaining to the Department of Defence on this motion. I have allow...

The Chair will decide these matters.

The Minister.

The Deputy is going into the kind of detail in respect of defence matters which would be more appropriate to the Estimate.

The Deputy is getting very far away from the matter before the House.

Order. Deputy Dowling.

The Deputy knows full well that it is wrong and disorderly to ascribe to a Member of this House that he deliberately misled the House.

I have already ruled on that, Deputy. The Deputy may not say that. It is not in order to say that any Member deliberately misled this House.

I do not know what the implication of that remark is.

Deputies should not indulge in repetition.

Order. If the Deputy is going to make serious allegations of the kind he has outlined, he must quote the exact words from the tribunal. He ought not to add or subtract from it or make deductions.

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Grants.

I want to get on to another question.

The second question also deals with the matter. A final supplementary.

This is a speech we are having now instead of a question.

Question No. 2 please.

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Modernisation Scheme.

Order.

Order.

Question No. 3.

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Herring Fishing Quota System.

Brief questions, please.

This is a very long question.

Could I ask for brevity in respect of questions and answers so that some appreciable progress can be made on other questions also?

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Leavers' Register.

Question, please.

Question No. 9, please.

One final supplementary.

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Premium Employment Programme.

Order, order. We must have order during Question Time.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.

This is leading to argument. I am calling Question No. 16.

We have dwelt on this question for a considerable time now.

A question, Deputy, please.

We have been on this question for the last quarter of an hour. I am calling question No. 18.

Will members who do not seem to be interested in the proceedings of the House please leave as quietly as possible?

I am anxious that the Deputy relate his remarks to the Supplementary Estimate for Transport and Power. I am also anxious to dissuade him from straying into an area which is the responsibility of anot...

We are discussing the Department of Transport and Power in this Supplementary Estimate.

I am anxious that the Deputy would confine his remarks to the Supplementary Estimate, which is very limited. I am concerned that he is going into detail which should properly be reserved for the main...

It is hardly relevant now, Deputy, on this Supplementary Estimate.

The Minister in possession is not responsible for that. It would not be in order.